Leinster U21HC: Dubs cruise into Leinster final
June 24, 2011
Dublin's Darren Kelly and Shane Kinsella of Offaly during the Leinster U21 hurling semi final at Parnell Park
Offaly 0-8
Holders Dublin set up a repeat of last year's Bord Gais Energy Leinster U21HC final with Wexford when they recovered from a slow start to ease past the challenge of Offaly in last night's semi-final at Parnell Park.
Points from Kevin O'Loughlin and Eamonn Dillon gave the home side an early advantage, but Offaly got back on level terms through scores from Shane Kinsella and Gary Conneely before four further unanswered scores from Adrian Hynes (two) Conneely and Kinsella saw them lead by 0-6 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Dublin reacted by moving senior star Liam Rushe from centre forward to centre back and they soon got themselves back into the game. O'Loughlin scored their first point in 17 minutes and Daire Plunkett, Ciaran Brennan, Robbie Mahon, O'Loughlin and Dillon followed up with scores to give them a 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead.
The Metropolitans took complete control after the restart as they outscored the visitors by 0-14 to 0-2. The impressive O'Loughlin had tagged on four more points before Adrian Hynes opened Offaly's second half account in the 42nd minute.
But it continued to be one-way traffic and Offaly had to wait until injury-time for senior player Thomas Carroll to register their second point of the half.
SCORERS - Dublin: K O'Loughlin 0-11 (0-7f, 0-1 65), E Dillon 0-3, R Mahon, D Sutcliffe 0-2 each, C Brennan, S McGrath, N McMorrow 0-1 each. Offaly: A Hynes 0-3 (0-3f), G Conneely, T Carroll 0-2 each, S Kinsella 0-1 each.
Dublin - G McManus; B O'Carroll, D Kelly, J Doughan; D Curran, L Rushe, M Quilty; C Gough, D Plunkett; D Sutcliffe (0-2), M Schutte, R Mahon (0-2); C Brennan (0-1), E Dillon (0-3), K O'Loughlin (0-11). Subs - S McGrath (0-1) for Brennan, N McMorrow (0-1) for Mahon, F Clabby for Rushe, T Connolly for Plunkett, C Murphy for O'Carroll.
Offaly - S Corcoran; D Magner, S Coughlan, C McDonald; D Shortt, E Murphy, B Mulrooney; M Ryan, T Spain; S Cleary, G Conneely (0-2), S Kinsella (0-1); S Gardiner, A Hynes (0-3), T Carroll (0-2). Subs - D King for Ryan, J Sampson for Kinsella, G Spollen for Shortt, A Kelly for Conneely, J Geraghty for Spain.
Ref - D Hughes (Carlow). Tweet
